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Fair Primary Election Resolution, 2006
WHEREAS, the Charter of the Washington State Democratic Party says “that all power to govern resides with the people”; and WHEREAS, the Charter of the Washington State Democratic Party also says we pledge to make every effort to encourage maximum participation in the political process; and WHEREAS, fair and open primary elections to decide which Democratic candidates will represent the Party in general elections ensures both governance by the people and opportunity for maximum participation in the process; and WHEREAS, the Charter of the Washington State Democratic party says we pledge ourselves to promote a truly representative Party open to all who support its principles, and a primary election is a unique opportunity for minorities and those with alternative viewpoints to present their ideas to voters by running a candidate for office; and WHEREAS, a fair and open primary election process must be supported, preserved and protected by the Washington State Democratic Party and all Democrats in the state of Washington in order to carry out the pledges of our Charter and to support, preserve and protect the process of democracy itself; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Washington State Democratic Party (WSDCC) will not endorse any Democratic candidate prior to a decision by the voters in a primary election regarding which candidate the Party shall support in the general election; and THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the WSDCC will establish clear and reasonable rules (approved by the Central Committee) for determining whether a candidate in a statewide election is a qualified Democratic candidate within the following guidelines: # None of the rules may rely on money as a condition of qualification; # The rules shall be stable over time (i.e., revised only infrequently), so that election procedures will be predictable for prospective candidates; # Rules will include a requirement for candidates to declare and sign their positions on all planks of the WSDCC platform; # Proposed rules or rules changes will be mailed to all County and Legislative District Chairs for reading and discussion at two of their regular Central Committee (CC) meetings consecutively, with a vote by their CC at the second meeting to instruct their State Committeewomen and Committeemen how they shall vote when the proposed rules (or rules changes) come before the State Central Committee meeting for action; # County and Legislative District Democratic Central Committees will be encouraged to adopt rules similar to those adopted by the WSDCC; and THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the WSDCC shall make every effort to inform voters equally and fairly about all qualified Democratic candidates prior to a primary election; and THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the WSDCC shall offer support of any kind (including funds, speaking engagements, press releases, voter lists, etc.) to a qualified candidate only if the same support is offered identically to all other qualified candidates in the same primary race; and THEREFORE BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that these actions will be completed in time to take effect for the 2008 primary elections. Submitted to the WSDCC for consideration at its September 30, 2006 meeting in Tacoma by NAME OF ORGANIZATION (Date Submitted MM/DD/YYYY) Category:WSDCC